Federal prosecutors charge two men alleging methamphetamine trafficking in Amarillo

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal on October 25, 2012 released the following:

“Troopers found 17 pounds of the drug in separate Carson County stops

By AZIZA MUSA
AMARILLO GLOBE-NEWS

AMARILLO — Federal prosecutors charged two men with methamphetamine trafficking after Department of Public Safety troopers found 17 pounds of the drug in separate Carson County stops.

Hugo Beltran-Ruiz, 42, and Elider Garcia, 30, were charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, according to court records.

The first stop happened shortly before 7 p.m. Oct. 16, when the driver of a Toyota Corolla was following a tractor-trailer too closely, authorities said. The driver, Mayra Ramirez, told troopers she rented the car from a Hertz in California for Beltran-Ruiz, a passenger, so they could shop in Oklahoma, according to court documents.

After writing a ticket, the trooper got consent to search the car and found nine vacuum-sealed bags of methamphetamine — totaling 10 pounds — hidden in the car’s rear door panels, the complaint said.

Beltran-Ruiz told authorities he was transporting the drugs from Ontario, Calif., to Oklahoma, authorities said.

The next day about 9:30 a.m., a trooper stopped a Toyota Camry for following another vehicle too closely, authorities said. Authorities wrote a ticket, received consent to search the car and found 7 pounds of meth in a compartment between the glove box and firewall, court records show.

The driver, Marixa Alfaro, told authorities she wasn’t aware of any drugs in the car, prosecutors said.

Garcia, the passenger, initially told officers his name was Paul Aranda but authorities learned his true identity as a Mexican citizen who was previously deported, according to court records. Garcia told troopers he was moving the meth from Los Angeles, prosecutors said.”

Douglas McNabb and other members of the U.S. law firm practice and write and/or report extensively on matters involving Federal Criminal Defense, INTERPOL Red Notice Removal, International Extradition Defense, OFAC SDN Sanctions Removal, International Criminal Court Defense, and US Seizure of Non-Resident, Foreign-Owned Assets. Because we have experience dealing with INTERPOL, our firm understands the inter-relationship that INTERPOL’s “Red Notice” brings to this equation.

The author of this blog is Douglas C. McNabb. Please feel free to contact him directly at mcnabb@mcnabbassociates.com or at one of the offices listed above.